CLUELESS IN LAS VEGAS: Hillary's Nuclear Doctrine

Democratic debate: October 13, 2015
Anderson Cooper (moderator), Hillary Clinton

The text alert came in Tuesday night: "Hillary Clinton says the number one threat to the US is nuclear weapons."

AT LAST! I thought. The presidential campaign is turning to this urgent issue . . . .

In fact, it had been just a few days previous that I had had the AHA! moment:

#ScareMeIn3Words #Trump #nuclear #football
(NOW can we dismantle the thermonuclear monarchy?)
(Please retweet this message.)

Donald Trump is the greatest advertisement that has ever existed for nuclear disarmament! OF COURSE the Democrats will jump on this, I thought . . . .

So imagine my disappointment when I read the actual debate transcript:

COOPER: Secretary Clinton, the greatest national security threat?

CLINTON: I -- I think it has to be continued threat from the spread of nuclear weapons, nuclear material that can fall into the wrong hands. I know the terrorists are constantly seeking it, and that's why we have to stay vigilant, but also united around the world to prevent that.

Oh, right, it's everybody ELSE's nuclear weapons that are a threat . . . .

Isn't it startling that Hillary Clinton could serve as Secretary of State and remain oblivious to the fact that people worldwide see clearly that the greatest threat is posed by existing nuclear weapon arsenals, first and foremost those of the US and Russia?

Isn't it startling that the rest of us continue to put up with the foolhardiness of the ruling elite?


Related posts

Elaine Scarry demonstrates that the power of one leader to obliterate millions of people with a nuclear weapon - a possibility that remains very real even in the wake of the Cold War - deeply violates our constitutional rights, undermines the social contract, and is fundamentally at odds with the deliberative principles of democracy.

(See Reviews of "Thermonuclear Monarchy: Choosing Between Democracy and Doom" by Elaine Scarry )











There are three centers of power that will impact nuclear disarmament: the President, the Congress, and the people. One of them will have to make nuclear disarmament happen.

(See Countdown to U.S. Nuclear Disarmament (With or Without the Politicians) )

How do you formulate a statement that can somehow convince the United States to eliminate its threatening nuclear weapons?  How do you formulate the 10th request? Or the 100th? Knowing all the time that the United States is in the position -- will always be in the position -- to say, "No" ?  At what point does it dawn on you that the United States will never give up its nuclear weapons, because it has the power and the rest of the world doesn't?

(See 360 Degree Feedback in New York (2014 NPT Prepcom and How the World Views the United States))

Hillary Clinton signaled the beginning of her 2016 presidential campaign with a spread in People magazine in June . . . not to mention the publication of a memoir, Hard Choices. It's a campaign full of "get tough" posturing.

(See One Little Word That Will Sink the Hillary Clinton Presidential Run ("Obliterate") )

There's no question that for the next 18 months, we members of the general public will be deluged with media about the 2016 presidential election. Maddeningly, 99 and 44/100% of that media will make no mention of the need to end U.S. wars, occupations, imperialism, and militarism.

(See I Support Antiwar Candidates! (Know Any?) )

More than anyone else, the beneficiaries of permawar are the politicians who thrive on the power to make and control wars. The number one prime beneficiary is the President, as well as presidential aspirants. But it doesn't end there . . . .

(See J'ACCUSE: The Beneficiaries of Permawar )